June 27, 2017
"Taking Care of Business!"

PRESIDENT'S CORNER: STUFF THE BUS

  The Bartow ENGAGE Chamber Young Professionals' community project is, “Stuff the Bus,” that includes collecting school supply donations for Polk’s students in need. The campaign generally begins mid-July and continues through mid-August - just in time for school. This year, stuff the Bus begins Monday, July 10 and continues through Friday, August 18, 2017.
      “The number of homeless children and youth in the Polk County School System is growing year after year,” said Dee Dee Wright, Polk County School Board Project Hearth Specialist. “Last year we identified more than 2800 homeless people throughout Polk County,” she said. Homeless children and youth are students who lack a fixed regular and adequate nighttime residence. Families are considered homeless who have “doubled up” at a residence, or are living in substandard housing or hotels. Women with children living in a charity home are also considered homeless by Project Hearth - the Polk County School Board’s services department for homeless students. The average age of a school-aged homeless person is nine years old. It has been estimated that at any given time, there are more than 350 school aged, enrolled homeless children in Polk County.
Ms. Wright’s office works to address the needs of Polk’s homeless students year round.
Anyone may donate to the drive by bringing donations to the Bartow Chamber of Commerce in July or August.  
     “It’s heartbreaking,” said Kathryn Bevilacqua-Ely, ENGAGE Chairwoman. “When we found out how many kids in Polk were homeless, we couldn’t believe it. Many of our members have school-aged children themselves, and it's shocking to realize that there are so many children in our area without a stable place to live,” she added. “The Bartow community is so supportive, last year they generously brought in school supplies for these children.  This year we are hoping for another great turnout, every little bit helps."
        Anyone wishing to make a monetary donation to homeless school-aged children in Polk County may do so by writing a check to the Polk County Education Foundation and writing “Hearth” in the memo line of the check. Checks may be dropped off at the Bartow Chamber, anytime. Donations will be used to purchase caps and gowns for seniors, pay for school physicals and pay for needed birth certificates.

       According to Wright, the items most needed this time of year are school supplies including backpacks, zip binders (Trapper Keepers), paper, 3-prong folders, spiral notebooks and calculators (scientific and graphing). In addition, school uniforms, gift cards for food, medical and dental services are much needed. Although hygiene items such as shampoo, conditioner, soap, deodorant, hair brushes and feminine products are always appreciated, the most dire need at this time are the school supplies.
      For more information on ENGAGE, or the Stuff the Bus campaign, call the Chamber at (863) 533-7125.

Until next week,
CLINT EDWARDS

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ROI ALERT TO ALL MEMBERS!

We've established a new perk to your membership. Now, as a member of the Greater Bartow Chamber of Commerce, you may include a promotional item for your business in the HELLO BARTOW! welcome baskets for new residents. PARTICIPATION IS FREE OF CHARGE! If you are interested, contact Barbara Adamson, Membership Director, (863) 533-7125, or reply to this email.

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MEMBER PERK FOR YOU OR YOUR EMPLOYEES:
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACADEMY

 

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CHAMPIONS CUP

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Want this cool cup? It can be yours, simply by joining ENGAGE Young Professionals. Here's the link to learn about ENGAGE and to join. Become the Community Leader you were meant to be, sign up today!

2017 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Clint Edwards, President
Emily Spath Clark, Incoming President
   Spath Jewelers

Jennifer Hall, Immediate Past President
    SEMCO Construction

CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE LIST

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JUNE BUSINESS: CITRUS AIR



Left to right: Citrus Air’s Donna Pointer, Dale Burzynski and Chamber Membership Services Director Barbara Adamson

CHAMBER MEMBERS SPECIAL: Purchase a one-year Maintenance Agreement and mention this ad, and get 1 Year FREE Maintenance!

JUNE Business of the Month
________________________________________
Citrus Air Conditioners, Inc.
155 Century Boulevard, Bartow, FL 33830
(863) 648-0637 • www.citrusairconditioners.com

Citrus Air Conditioners is Central Florida’s premier air conditioning, heating, refrigeration, and ice machine maintenance and repair company. We have extensive knowledge of all makes and models. We’ve specialized in both residential and commercial air conditioning and heating systems for over 30 years. Our team of highly-skilled technicians is on standby to meet your residential or commercial system’s repair needs.


WANT TO FIND OUT HOW TO BECOME
THE BUSINESS OF THE MONTH?
Contact Barbara Adamson, Membership Services,
863-533-7125 or email
barbara@bartowchamber.com

MEMBERSHIP MILESTONES

20 YEARS
VISTE

10 YEARS
Central Florida Regional Planning Council
The Law Office of Shiurley D. Pellarchy
State Farm Insurance - Michell Githens

 

RIBBON CUTTINGS COMING UP

NOMINATE SOMEONE AS EMERGING LEADER

Polk Emerging Leaders Awards
Tuesday, August 15, 2017, 6:00 PM
Bartow Civic Center
2250 Floral Ave, Bartow, FL 33830

NOMINATE SOMEONE TODAY!
The annual Polk Emerging Leaders Awards will once again be a collaborative event of the three young professional groups in Polk County. Continuing a new era of collaboration and blurring the east/west dividing line, the awards have been established to annually recognize five young professionals between 21- 42 who have made significant contributions and commitment to the Polk County community.
Nominations are now open for 2017!
To nominate an individual for the Polk Emerging Leader Awards, simply fill out the form at this link.
http://www.winterhavenchamber.com/polk-emerging-leaders-awa…
Applications must be returned to pelaApplication@gmail.com or dropped off at 401 Ave B NW, Winter Haven by close of business June 15, 2017.

CHAMBER EVENTS

(All meetings are in the Chamber Boardroom unless otherwise noted.)

JULY
Tuesday, July 10
ENGAGE STUFF THE BUS BEGINS

Bring School Supplies to the Chamber
For Homeless Kids!

Wednesday, July 19, 1:30 p.m.
WHITE ELEPHANT PARTY FOR DIPLOMATS

Happy Birthday Issie Jencowski

Thursday, July 20, 9:30 a.m.
PATEL, GREENE & ASSOCIATES, PLLC NEW LOCATION

215 E. Main Street, Bartow 33830

SEE OTHER COMMUNITY EVENTS LISTED ON YOUR CHAMBER WEBSITE HERE.

NEW MEMBERS

Restaurants
The BREADBOARD
Mr. Paul Diakomihalis
1037 North Broadway Avenue
Bartow, FL 33830
(863) 800-3284
 
Restaurants
NiNi’s Landings
Ms. Sandy Joyner
5995 Airport Blvd./Bartow Municipal Airport
Bartow, FL 33830
(863) 875-5789

Executive Office Space
RCL Property Holdings LLC
Richard Lindstrom/Carmen Lindstrom
11506 Hammock Oaks Ct.
Lithia, FL 33547
(813) 689-1663

Individual Members
Tony Murray
1105 Lee Avenue
Bartow, FL 33830
(863) 533-8031
 

DON'T MISS FORTRESS FITNESS FOR SEPT.!

This is a great time of exercise for the whole family! Marie Wilmot, local fitness guru, has designed a program for the Chamber to help the community get fit! Find out what types of exercise suit your needs by coming out to Fort Blount Park on the second Saturday of each month at 9:00 a.m., beginning in September, 2017. You can experience a different kind of exercise in each class. It's a blast!

MEMBER MICRONEWS



MARCHING FOR A CAUSE
100 MEN IN BLACK
July 8, 2017, 4:00 p.m. at
St. James AME Church, Bartow
FIVE AMAZING SPEAKERS 10 MINUTES EACH
"You Don't Want To Miss Out!"

 

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CHAMBER QUARTERLY HAS 40K READERSHIP

 Reserve your space now in the Fall Chamber Quarterly Magazine and hand your business card out to more than 40,000 readers for only $85 per issue. Call Barbara Adamson at 863-533-7125 for more information.

ENGAGE STUFF THE BUS TO BEGIN JULY 10


ENGAGE Young Professionals' Stuff The Bus is coming up! School supplies will be collected for Polk Schools' "Hearth Project," which supplies school supplies to homeless children. Be sure to drop supplies off to the Greater Bartow Chamber of Commerce from July 10 through August 18 and help homeless students have the supplies they need for school.

SEE US HERE!

GreenBlue2 - June 27, 2017